How to Save a Life
by iphoneguy
Summary: Inspired by the song 'How to Save a Life' by The Fray. One-sided strained Ikarishipping even though I hate Paul to start, then turns to no shipping at all. Rated T for mild coarse language.


**Hey guys! Since I quite a few people liked my last one-shot (21 Guns) I decided to write another one. This one here is inspired by the song 'How to Save a Life' by The Fray and features Paul and Dawn, kind of Ikarishipping that's mostly one-sided. I'm not a really big fan of Ikarishipping actually ('cause I really hate Paul), it's just that Paul is the only guy with the personality for this story. (Just a note, all my one-shots will be based on songs, so if you want to request a song then message me or write a review.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or 'How to Save a Life.' They belong to Nintendo and The Fray respectively.**

_Step one, you say "We need to talk"  
He walks, you say "Sit down, it's just a talk."  
He smiles politely back at you,  
You smile politely right on through._

"Paul, I want to talk to you," Dawn said as she walked through the door.

Paul stood up. "For the last time, I don't want to talk right now."

Dawn stayed in the doorframe, blocking Paul's exit. "C'mon Paul, it's just a little talk."

"Fine," Paul groaned as he sat back down.

_Some sort of window to your right,  
As he goes left and you stay right,  
Between the lines of fear and blame,  
You begin to wonder why you came._

"Paul, you've been seeming kind of distant lately," Dawn said to her boyfriend.

Paul stayed silent for a moment, then finally spoke. "What?"

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about," Dawn replied.

Paul scoffed.

"Is there someone else?" Dawn inquired, expecting the worst.

"You know, I have to go train my Pokemon," Paul said, changing the subject. "I'll catch up with you later."

_There probably _is _someone else,_ Dawn thought as she watched Paul exit. _Should I break up with him? But if I do, he's gonna get mad at me! Dammit, I don't know what to do!_

_Where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend somewhere along the bitterness,  
And I would have stayed up with you all night,  
Had I known how to save a life. _

_Flashback_

"Paul, what's wrong?" Dawn asked.

Paul stayed silent.

"It's okay, you can talk to me," Dawn said as she sat down beside him.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Paul finally said.

Dawn wasn't buying it. "I've known you long enough to know that when you say 'nothing' it means that something's bothering you."

Paul was getting angry. "I said I'm fine."

"Paul, I - " Dawn started to speak but was cut off by Paul's ire.

"Shut up! If I say I'm fine that mean's I'M FINE!" Paul shouted as he stormed out of the room, leaving Dawn alone.

_End of flashback_

_Let him know that you know best  
'Cause after all, you do know best,  
Try to slip past his defense,  
Without granting innocence, _

_Lay down a list of what is wrong,  
Things you've told him all along,  
And pray to God he hears you,  
And pray to God he hears you!_

_And where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend somewhere along the bitterness,  
And I would have stayed up with you all night,  
Had I known how to save a life._

"Paul, I think you're lying to me," Dawn said as she caught up with her boyfriend.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Paul asked, feigning innocence.

"When you cheated on me with that other girl, Marley*," Dawn said. "I haven't forgotten that, y'know."

Paul laughed. "We were just talking together!"

"Talking? Ha! I hardly think that you two were just 'talking'," Dawn pouted. "Especially with her in your arms."

"Alright alright, I'm sorry about that, now will you just shut up?" Paul asked in an exasperated tone.

"No!"

"Why not?"

Dawn paused before she spoke. "Because you're acting the same way you did right before I caught you cheating!" she finally blurted out. "I mean, you're never spending time with me anymore, you're always away 'training', and you've forgotten our last three dates!"

Paul snarled. "I'm not cheating on you, alright! Now shut the hell up!" With that he turned his heel and stalked off into the opposite direction, leaving Dawn to ponder her thoughts.

_As he begins to raise his voice  
You lower yours and grant him one last choice.  
Drive until you lose the road,  
Or break with the ones you've followed._

Dawn was sitting in her room waiting for Paul to return from his 'training.' As she waited she began to think and remember.

_Flashback_

"Paul, do you want to be with me anymore?" Dawn cautiously asked.

"Of course I do," Paul replied in a bored voice.

"Then why do you never spend time with me?" Dawn inquired, still wary of Paul's anger.

"Because I'm busy! Now will you stop asking me these questions!" Paul raised his voice.

Dawn stayed silent as Paul continued shouting.

"I have to train my Pokemon to become stronger y'know! I've already given up so much time I could have used to train to be with you and you're not even thankful for that! What kind of a girlfriend are you?!"

Dawn bowed her head as tears started to well up eyes. She hated it when Paul yelled at her, but she never had the heart to tell him to stop.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go train," Paul said hotly as he pushed past her.

_End of flashback_

_He will do one of two things  
He will admit to everything,  
Or he'll say he's just not the same  
And you'll begin to wonder why you came._

Dawn was startled by the crunching sound of Paul walking up the gravel path to her home. She quickly glanced at the clock: 00:42. Dawn smoothed out her hair and walked downstairs to greet him as he opened the door.

"Hey Paul," Dawn said with fake cheerfulness. She ran forward to hug him, but he pushed her off.

"Stop doing that. We're through."

Dawn was shocked but she knew that the breakup had been inevitable. "What? Why?!"

Paul sighed. "Because I'm seeing someone else. So we're done. Go find another boyfriend."

"You bastard! How could you do this to me?" Dawn cried in anger and in sadness. "Get out of my house you stupid fucked up asshole! Get out! GET OUT!"

Paul turned and walked away, leaving Dawn to wonder where she went wrong.

_Where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend somewhere along the bitterness,  
And I would have stayed up with you all night,  
Had I known how to save a life._

_And where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend somewhere along the bitterness,  
And I would have stayed up with you all night,  
Had I known how to save a life._

**That's it for another one, as usual please R&R. I'll switch to a story with a happy ending sometime, I just, I dunno, feel like writing sad stories. But don't worry, I'll get a happy one in soon when I have time. Again, you can request a song or a story now, just make sure that if it's a song it's not a crap song that has no meaning to it. Anyhoo, that's it from me, I love you, peace out!  
BTW I don't think the link for 21 Guns worked, just type youtube in front of the '.com' part. I don't think it lets me post a website link, so do the same thing for this one if it doesn't work: .com/watch?v=qw0wRfHjF5M Sorry about that guys.**


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